Xander Schauffele couldn’t help but be impressed by Rory McIlroy’s dominant performance at the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday. McIlroy, a seasoned competitor at Quail Hollow, clinched his fourth title at the event with a commanding five-shot victory.
Reflecting on McIlroy’s stellar play, Schauffele admitted to feeling a sense of admiration for his opponent. “When you take a step back, yeah,” Schauffele remarked, acknowledging McIlroy’s status as a golfing icon. “He’s Rory McIlroy, you know?”
McIlroy’s remarkable display included eagles on the 10th and 15th holes, while Schauffele found himself struggling to maintain pace, compounded by a couple of costly errors.
Schauffele highlighted McIlroy’s exceptional power off the tee, noting, “He hits it 350 yards in the air downwind and he has shorter clubs into firm greens than anyone else.” Despite his own solid performance for much of the day, Schauffele conceded that McIlroy’s ability to capitalize on opportunities was unmatched.
“When he’s on, he’s on,” Schauffele acknowledged, tipping his hat to McIlroy’s superb performance. “Hats off to him for winning. Yeah, he played unbelievably well.”
For Schauffele, McIlroy’s performance served as a reminder of the relentless nature of competition at the highest level of golf. “Overall I felt like I was doing pretty well for most of the day,” Schauffele reflected, “and then had that costly stretch and he capitalized like no other. Big reversal there.”
McIlroy’s victory showcased his mastery of the game and left an indelible impression on his competitors, including Schauffele, who could only admire the Northern Irishman’s prowess on the course.